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Patented Apr. 25, I899.

c. H. BEHNJSGH. APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND summons 6LOTH.

4 Sheets$heat (Application filed Apr. 8, 1897.) (No Model.)

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Patented Apr. 25, I899.

0. H. BEHNISCH. APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND SHRINKING CLOTH.

(Application filed Apr, 8, 1897.) Mode") 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVEN rim @MMWw ATTORNEY No. 623,648. Patented Apr. 25, I899. C. H. BEHNISCH. APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND SHRINKING CLOTH.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1897.)

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No. 623,648. Patented Apr. 25, I899. C. H. BEHNISCH.

APPARATUS FOR PBESSING AND SHRINKING CLOTH.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 She'ets-Shaet 4.

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4 lJNirno 'FTATES PATENT @rrion.

CARL HERMANN BEHNISCH OF LUCKENVVALDE, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND SHRINKING CLOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 623,648, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed April 8, 1897. Serial No. 631,246. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL I-IERMANN BEH- NISOH, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Luckenwalde, in the Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pressing and Shrinking Cloth, Felt, Stuifs,and other Similar Woven Fabrics; and I declare the following to be a full, clear,'and exact description of my invention.

My invention has reference to an improved apparatus for pressing and shrinking cloth, felt, stuffs, and other similar woven fabrics, and is so arranged as to enable these operations to be carried out simultaneously.

Hitherto the pressing of cloth or other similar fabrics has had the disadvantage that when a fabric has been properly pressed it receives a hard, pressed, and unfinished appearance. If to avoid this hard unfinished appearance the pressure has been made as light as possible, the fabric receives a softer appearance; but this is not durable. On the least contact with rain or damp of any kind this said appearance disappears and leaves a fabric which is incomplete in every respect and worthless as regards durability.

The object of my inventionis to remove these disadvantages by enabling the cloth or other fabric to be so pressed and shrunk that it is complete in all respects and to give to it in addition a silk-like finish or gloss on its'upper surfacea finish or gloss, moreover,which will not disappear on the fabric being made wet or on its being ironed.

My improved process consists, essentially, in moistening the whole of the upper surface of the fabric in an equal degree and then applying pressure to same by means of a cylinder-press whose outer mantle is heated by steam and whose inner cylinder can be heated by steam or gas. Between the inner cylinder and the outer mantle of this press is an elastic press-mantle, between which and the cylinder proper the fabric is pressed or drawn. The

said elastic press-mantle is provided with steam-chambers and perforations in order that steam can be ejected direct onto the fab ric simultaneously with the pressing action, which latter can be effected by air, steam, or hydraulic pressure. The effect of this steam is to keep the fibers and hairs of the fabric in a moistened condition while they are being heated and pressed, and the result is that a perfectly pressed and shrunk fabric is obtained which is at once soft and durable and whose superior finished or silky appearance will not be affected by damp or fluids orby being ironed after being taken out of the press.

I will now explain my invention and the method of carrying out the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a front elevation, Fig. 3 a cross-section, Fig. 4: a longit udinal section, and Fig. 5 a cross-section, of the inner cylinder with its intermediate elastic press-mantle and double outer mantle or shell. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the elastic press-mantle, the walls being thickened and most of the exterior corrugations omitted and' showing the steam chambers within said press-mantle; and Fig. 7 a side elevation of same, partly in section.

1 is a rotary iron cylinder heated from its interior by means of steam or other suitable agent to any pressure up to eight atmospheres, and has a steam-pipe connection 18 and a Water-pipe connection 21. 2 is a welded-iron outer double mantle, which also can be heated by steam and which is provided with an opening above along its length for the passagein and out of the fabric and an opening or slot below at 26 for the inlet of steam for and the outlet of the water from the elastic pressmantle.

3 and 4 is the elastic press-mantle, of copper 61' other suitable metal, and which ,is made steam-tight in its position by means of soldering or rivets. This press-mantle is provided with steam-chambers 1), formed by solderinghalf a tube onto same in the space between the inner and outer surfaces and to which steam is conducted by means of a flexible steam-pipe 0, introduced from the side of the mantle. On the part of the inner surface of the press-mantle covered by the steamchamber or on a portion of same perforations are arranged for the ejection of steam onto the fabric in such way that all parts of the said fabric are steamed equally.

5 are gearing-wheels keyed onto the inner cylinder, and 6 are driving-pinions which engage with same. These latter are keyed onto the shaft 7, which also carries two wormwheels 8, engaging with two worms 9 and the pinion 41 for driving the roller 34: by meshing with a pinion 41 on the shaft of said roller, which last serves for actuating the endless band 33, said band stretched over said water-roller and under the loosely-mounted roller 42.

10 10 are fixed and loose pulleys, 11 the worm-shaft, and 12 12 the bearings thereof.

12 12 are the bearings of the driving-shaft 7.

13 are two connecting-pieces in the longitudinal opening of the outer double mantle 2, and it are two supports, to the side flaps of which the connecting-pieces 13 are secured. The end laps (Z of the elastic press-mantle are also secured to the upper surface of said supports 14.

15 are two longitudinal supports secured to the outer double mantle 2, and to which are fastened supports 16, serving as a bed for the eylinder-bearings 17.

18 is the steam-pipe for the cylinder, and 1f) the safety-valve and gage.

20 is a cut-off valve, and 21 the waste-water pipe from the cylinder.

22 is an air-"alve for the cylinder, 2-3 a cutoff valve, and 21L the blow-off pipe.

25 is a steam-reducing valve with adjustable safety-valve and gage for pressures from one to five atmospheres.

26 is a steam and waste-water pipe to and .from the inner press-mantle 3 and 4.

27 is a steam-pipe to the outer double mantle, and 28 the waste-water pipe from same.

2.) is the cut-olf cock for the outer double mantle.

30 represents the mechanism for folding the cloth. I

31 is a water-tank or fiuid-receptacle with a tension-roller 32 for an endless felt band 33. The water or moisture is communicated from this band to a water-roller 3i, around which is wound a strong, thick, seamless, circularwoven felt which sucks in the water from the felt band 35 is an adjustable roller for regulating the pressure on the water-roller of the fabric to be moistened.

36 is a guide-roller for the fabric.

37 is a movable stretcher which stretches the fabric laterally before it enters into the press to prevent creases.

38 are two stretching-laths for guiding the fabric and keeping same at a proper tension.

39 is the fabric passing forward to be operated upon, and 40 shows the same leaving the press.

The method of operation of my invention is as follows: The apparatus is set in motion from the driving-shaft and the fabric begins to move upward from 30. The amount of moisture required for the fabric having been determined, the pressure of said fabric on the water-roller is regulated at 35, the endless felt band and felt-coated water-roller having been previously set in motion by gear from the shafts 11 and '7. The moistened fabric is then stretched laterally, after which it enters the press. As soon as the elastic press-m antle is filled with steam, water, or air it commences to press with its outer corrugated surface against the outer double mantle and with its inner smooth surface against the rotary cylinder 1. The fabric is then pressed between the inner surface of the pressmantle and the circumference of the rotary cylinder. This causes the circumference of the inside of the press-mantle to be somewhat lessened; but this is equalized by the increase of the other corrugated surface. The pressmantle is moved with the rotary motion of the cylinder until its end is tight against the round end of the double outer mantle at the point where the fabric enters the press, and itthen incloses almost the whole of the cylinder and presses the fabric against this.

In working with a pressure of up to two atmospheres the machine can be kept working continuously; but if a higher pressure is usedsay to five or more atmospheres-the friction of the fabric on the inner surface of the press mantle becomes so great that it needs great power to turn the cylinder. In this case it is preferable to work the cylinder intermittently, for which purpose the variations of pressure can be automatically regulated.

If it is desired to shrink the cloth while pressing it, steam is ejected onto same while it is being drawn around the press with the rotary movement of the cylinder. This steam is ejected from the steam-chambers in the elastic press-mantle through perforations in the inner surface of said elastic press-mantle, as previously explained, and has the effect of keeping the hairs and fibers of the fabric perfectly soft while being pressed fiat and in giving the upper surface of the fabric a firm, but soft and glossy, appearance.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, consisting of an outer double mantle which can be heated, an intermediate steam-tight elastic press-mantle, having its inner side flat and its outer side corrugated, and a rotary inner cylinder heated by steam or gas, in combination with means for supplying the necessary heating and pressure agents and with means for actuating the rotary cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, the combination with the outer double mantle 2, the inner elastic steam-tight press-mantle 3 and 4 and the inner rotary cylinder- 1, of supports 15 and 16, bearings 17 for the said rotary cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the drawings.

3. In a pressing and shrinking machine of IIO the character specified, the combination with an outerdouble mantle, aninner elastic pressmantle provided with steam-chambers b and perforations in the inner side of the elastic press-mantle, substantially as and for the pur-' and Waste-water connections therefor and steam and air valves thereto, substantiallyas and for the purpose described and shown.

6. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the type specified, the combination with the outer double mantle, intermediate elastic press-mantle, inner rotary cylinder and shaft 7, of supports 14 to which the ends of the elastic press-mantle are fastened, substantially as and for the purpose described and shown.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

CARL HERMANN BEHNISCH.

W'itnesses:

. W. HAUPT, S. RHODES. 

